Load hoisting and transfer apparatus.



I. s. MILLER. LOAD HOiSTlNG AND TRANSFER APPARATUS ="'APPLIOAT -l0N FLEDAPR. 16. 1915- Patented Jan. 8, 1918.

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T; S. MILLER.

LOAD noasrme AND TRANSFER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 16. I915.

Patented J an. 8, 1918.

4 SHEETS-:SHEET 2- T. s. MILLER. MAD HOISTING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED APR I8. 1815- Patented Jan. 8; 1918.

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T. S. MILLER. LOAD HOISTING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILE D APR. 16, l9 l5.

Patented J an. 8, I918.

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. erally to load-hoisting and 'ratus, and more particularly to apparatusJ'rnonms srnncnn MILLER, onsournonnnon, NEW annsnr.

LOAD HOISTING AND TRANSFER APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. s, 1918.

.Application men April 16, 1915; Serial No. 21,666.

7 '0 all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, THOMAS SPENCER MILLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at South Orange, in the county of Essex and State ofNew Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvemerits in LoadHoisting and Transfer Apparatus, of which the following is aspecification.

- My invention relates oroaaly and gen -transfer appaof that typeadapted to form part of the equipment of a sea-going vessel, such as ac-ollier, for the purpose of transferring loose material from the holdof the vessel to another vessel or dock, or for loading said vessel fromanother ship or dock.

Among other objects of the invention which will appear from thefollowing description, I desire to provide an apparatus which will besimple of construction, which will permit of easy and rapid handling ofthe material, and in which will be employed an opening and closingbucket, the holding and closing lines of which will serve as a means fortransferring the bucket, as well as for raising and lowering the same.

The invention consists in the improvements to be more fully describedhereinafter, and the object of which will be particularly pointed outand distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated preferred embodiments of myinvention in the accompanying drawings to be taken as a' part of thisspecification and wherein:

Figure 1 1s a v1ew in vertical cross section of the hull of a vesselequipped with my invention, the latter being shown in ont elevation. a 7

Fig. 2 is a plan viewof a portion of the hull of the vessel showing twohatchways, each provided with my present invention for transferringloads therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective diagrammatic view of the bucket and ropeleads for operating and controlling the same.

Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section,

' of asteam-operated rope engine for operating and-controlling the ropeleads.

Fig. 5 is a view in side elevation of the rope engine shown in Fig. 4.Fig. 6 is a plan view of an electrically operated engine which may beused inconnection withmy invention for operating the rope leads;

Fig. 7 is a detail view in side elevation of that part of the engineshown at the left of Fig. 6. I

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a rope drum employed in connection with theinvention when the rope leads are controlled by the engine shown in Fig.6.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference: 1 designates thehull of a vessel, the construction of which may be varied to suit theconditions under which it is to be employed, which construction does notin any way affect or limit the scope of my present invention. The hull 1has a hold 2 to contain the material to be transferred, and 3 designatesthe deck of the vessel provided with one or more hatchways 4 leading tosaid hold.

Supported on thedeck 3 of the. vessel between the hatchways, andextending transversely of the vessel, is a superstructure,

preferably in the formof a tower 5, comprising vertical uprights 6joined at their upper ends by a transverse beam 7 from the upper ends ofwhich uprights rises a structural iron frame 7 of any suitable designand dimensions. The tower may be braced by side brace-members 8, 8,connecting the deck and the posts 6 at a point adjacent the upper endsof the latter. 9, 9 designate booms, each of which is pivotally mountedat its inner end, as at 10, on said tower at a point adjacent the upperends of the members 6, said booms extending from their pivotal points inopposite directions from each other so that their ends take a positionto one side of the hatchway and preferably outboard of'the vessel, asshown in Figs. 1 'and 2. The boonis may be braced in position by meansof guys 11 connecting the .outer ends of said booms with the upper endof the frame/7, and by guys 12 connecting the outer ends of the boomswith a convenient point on the vessel. I desire it understood that theconstruction and arrangement of the tower and the booms may be variedwithin wide limits without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I will now describe a preferred arrange.- ment of rope leads supportedby said structure and booms for transferring a load from the hold of thevessel to aspoint outboard of the vessel, or vice versa. Connected atits opposite 9, 9 is a main cable or trackway 13, said ends to the.outer ends of the booms of the vessel over one of the hatchways, and

preferably in a vertical plane extending through the center of thelatter. Mounted on this main cable is a load-carriage 14, which may beof any suitable construction,

the same being provided with running pulleys on wheels to travel on thecable 13 and having a portionjdepending below said main cable andprovided with oppositely disposed pulleys or sheaves 16, 17, as shown inFigsfl and 3 of the drawings, for a purpose to be presently-set forth.'18 designates a i 24 the line 23 is kiarried. backflengthwis'e of thecablewayand passed over a 'sh'e'ave 25,: preferably supported Olltheframe 7, from which is load carrier, preferably in the form of anopening-'and-closing bucket of the clam-shell 7*. From'the pulley 21,the line 19 passes downward and is wound upon a drum 22, provided withmeans for running it in opposite directions to-take up and out-fsaidholdin .line, which means will be presently descried. Connected at oneend to the bucket opening-and-closing means is a closing'line 23 whichpasses from *the bucket upward and over the, sheave- 16,

whenceit is'carried lengthwise of the maincable and doubled over asheave 24 onthe outer end of the boom 9. From the sheave which .point itis carried downward and wound upon a drum ;26. provided withmeans forrunning the same in opposite directions to take up and payout saidclosi-ng line, whichl/means will be presently"described.

By the arrangement of rope leads de-" scribed I am enabled to dispenseWit-h a purposes set forth, I p'ay'out both f-linesat separate-line orlines, in addition to the closing and holding lines, for the purpose oftraversing the load-carriage back and forth, 5

' mg connect on w th the drum 26 for the and'employ the bucket-closingline and the holding line not only for opening and clos- 'ing the bucketand raising"andlowering the same, but alsofor accomplishing thetraversin of the carriage and bucket. In employthe holding-and-closinglines 1 for the the same speed in lowering the bucket and take them upatithe same speed in -i'aising the bucket, and, when it is desired toraise or lower the b'ucket throHgh ,an angle, say,

of 45 degrees, to the vertical or horizontal, I hold one line and takeup the other. When it is desired to traverse the carriage afterthe-hoisting of thebucket, I pay out one or the lines and. take up atequal speedon the other, so'that the carriage and bucket traverse themain cable in a straight line. I ,do not desire to limit myself to thespecific means shown and hereinafter described for operating theclosing-and-holding lines in the manner just. set forth, [but'havedevised simple and effective means for accomplishingv these results,which means will now be described.

I will first describe a steam or fluid pres sure-operated means forcontrolling the closing-and-holding lines, which means comprises abed-plate 27 atthe opposite ends of which are arranged pairs of steamengine cylinders 28, 29, each pair constituting an independent steammotor driven independently of the other. pistons of the cylinders 29 areconnected by .piston connections 30, indicated by dot-anddash linesinFigs. 4 and 5, to crank pins 31 power shaft 33 mounted in suitablebearin s on the side members of the bed-plate 2 This power shaft carriesa .pinion 34 mesh- ,pistons the cylinders to drive the power shaft 33ineither direction, and which has a which may be Theneutral position atwhich the steam will be cushioried in the cylinders to hold the pistonagainst movement. I have indicated such ayalve at 37, but have notspecifically illus trated the details thereof, as it may be of any 1 ofthe well-known types which may be suitable for- .the purpose The -valveoperating lever is shown at 38. In a manner similar to that justdescribed, the engine cylinders 28 are connected to crank pins 39 oncrank disks 40 driving a power shaft 41, which I carries a gear42meshing with a drum gear I 43 on a drum shaft 44, and having a driv-"closing line. "The engine 28 is also provided with. a valve similar tothat employed ,by

levers'38 .and 46 being arranged with theirv hand grasps in suchrelation that they may both be readily operated by the same operatorgrasping one of-said\hand-grasps in, each. hand. Bythis arrangementi itwill be 7 apparent that each drum may "be' operated independentlyjof theother to either' payout or take-up the line wound thereon, or each drummaybe held stationary so as to hold its-dine; When it is-.-desired.totraverse t I can'iage along'the cableway to transport the 85 mounted oncrank disks 32 rotating with a bucket from the hold of the vessel to apoint outboard, or to return it to the hold after having discharged itsload outboard, it is desirable to pay out one line and take up the otheraccordingly as the bucket moves outboard or inboard, at the same speed,and, in orderto accomplish this, I provide means for driving both thedrums 22 and 26 from the-same engine, and preferably accomplish it byinterlocking the drums so that they both revolve in the same direction,it being'taken for granted that one rope is wound on its drum in areverse directionfrom that in which the other rope is wound on its drum.-This means may take a number of forms, but, in the present instance, Iemploy -a counter-shaft47 journaled in the side members oftheb'ed-frameand having loosely mounted thereon at one end a gear. 48 arranged inmesh with the gear 35, said shaft being provided with a clutch member 49adapted to engage a clutch member50 on said gear whereby saidgear may beconnected to said shaft to rotatetherewith. Any suitable means may bepro vided for applying and relieving the fric-' tion between the clutchmembers 49 and 50, but I prefer to employ a well-known-wtype of screwthrust 51 operated from a footlever 52 journaled on the frame, as at-53, and connected to the crank member 54 of the thrust by a connectingrod 56. This lever is preferably moved automatically to release positionby a wei'rht 57. Rigidly' mounted on the shaft 47 is a second gear 58,whichv meshes with the-gear 43, heretofore" de-' scribed. By thisarrangement it will be seen that either drum' may be driven from theother by operating the elutch to-conne'ct the gear 48 to the shaft 47and that, when said gear is disconnected from driv'ingconnection withits shaft, said drums may be run independently. of each other. Means isprovided whereby the carriage may beheld stationary during the openingand closing. of the bucket, as it will-be apparent that the carriagewould shift its position on themain cable due to the slacking ortakingin of V the closing line if such means were not provided -"ll i'ismeans preferably consists ofa 1 line 59 having one end connected, as at60,

to one side of the carriage, said line being carried thence over apulley 61 on the outer end of the boom 9, from which point it is carriedinboard over a pulley 62- on the structure 7, and then down to a 63,said line being rove about the drum'and having its opposite end portioncarried upward therefrom over a pulley 63 on the 'frame; thence outboardover apulley 64 on the outer end of the boom 9, from which point it iscarried to the'opposite side of the carriage from the connection 60, andconnected to the carriage, as at 65. i

Means .is provided for holding the drum shown in Fig. 4, and premisin 63during the opening and closing of the bucket, so that the carriage isheld stationary, and said drum is adapted to rotate ,tended outside themain frame 27, as at 64,

and is provided with a sleeve 65 feathered thereto to rotate therewith,said sleeve carrying a clutch disk 66 having an annular clutch face 67.,The sleeve' 65 is capable of movement lengthwise of said shaftextension 64 and, on the outer end of the latter is provided anexpansionsprin 68 normally urging said sleeve .and the c utch diskcarried thereby inward toward the side of the bed plate. The drum63 isprovided with a hub 69 rotatablymounted on said sleeve 65 and heldagainst movement longitudinally of said sleeve in one direction y asleeve 70 mounted on the shaft 44 between said hub 69 and the side frameof the bed-plate. This drum 63 is'provided on its face toward the clutchdisk 66 with an annular clutchface 71 adapted to coiiperate with theclutchface 67, wherebythe drum 63 is driven fromsaid shaft 44. The drum63 is provided with anannular brake-face 72 with which acoiiperatesafriction brake-band 73 of any suitable construction, whereby the drummay be held against rotation, under which conditions thefriction diskwill slip rela tive therto,-due toits resilient engagement therewith byvirtue of the sprin 68. The.

brake may be operated by a suita le brakethe hand-grasps 38 and 46,whereby said levers are all in 'convenient'position to be operated bythe same operator.

' I will now proceed .to describe the operation of the apparatusconstructed as. above described, employing the form of engine that theparts are-in the positions shown'm'Figs. 1,

2 and 3. Inorder to return the bucket from 'the outboard position to thehold to take a load, the operator relieves the brake action on the drum63 to :permit the line-59 to run free. The operator then operates theclutch 49 to interlock the drums22 and 26 so that the line 19 is takenup and the line 23 is paid out, both at the same speed, whereby thecarriage is traversed inboard. When the carriage reaches a point overthe hatchway and the bucket is-to belowered therein, the carriayge isstoppiedv and the clutch 49 ope ated to real: the driving connectionbetween the drums 22 and 26, whereupon the operator operates both.e'ngmes to cause the drums 22 and 26 to pay out their lines to permitthe bucket to drop. It will be understood that the bucket is opened atthe desired point by' holding the holding line and permitting theclosing line to pa out. It will also be unthe material tolg'be loaded,the operator takes upon the clo'sEng linesuflicient to close thebucket,'and then drives both drums 22'and 26 independently to take upthe holding line and the. closin line to raise the bucket to thecarriage. load is to be shifted without trayerslng the carriage, bothlinesare taken up) at the same speed, the carriage being held 63, but ifit be desired to hoist the bucket in a line at an angle to the vertical,this can be accomplished by releasing the carriage from the-drum 63 andtaking u both the holding line and the closing line, but at differentspeeds, the carriage and bucket movin laterally in the direction of theline ta en up at the greater speed. For instance, in'the arrangement asshown in Fig. 3, assuming the bucket to be lowered, the bucket wouldbemoved in a line at an angle to the left when the closing line is takenup at the greater speed, while it would be moved to v the right, if theholding line were driven at the greater speed. "In thelatter case thepull of the bucket'on the closin tain the bucket closed.

raised to the desired pointthe drums are then interlocked by means ofthe clutch 49 and both may be driven from one en ethat is, the engine28, to take 'up the c osing line 23 andpay out the holding line at equal'speeds wherebythe carriage, with the bucket,

is moved to the outboard positionthat is, to the left of Fi gs..'1, 2and 3. Upon the carriage reaching the desired 'outboard'position, drum63 is held, and the bucket is dumped by paying out on the closing line,

the drums being disconnected from driving connection with each otherand'the drum 26 operated for the purpose stated. If it is 'de-' sired tofirst lower'the bucket before dumping, the carriage may be held by thedrum 63 andboth engines may be operated to out the lines 19 and 23 tolower the hue after which the bucket I holdi'ng'the line 19 and payingout on the been'loaded, the bucket is to e moved to t erightat an angleto the vertical, the engine 29 is operated to take up on the holdingline and the en e 28 either remains at vrest or is o erate to payout theclosin line until '51 reaches. the desire elevation; whereupon uringthis operation, if the y the drum line would main en the bucket is maybe dumped by' e bucket line and pay out the closing'line at equal speed.As the operations are simply reversed when the bucket is moved from theright or the left of the hold, or 'to 'or from either the right or leftof the ship, it is be- I lieved that the operation of the bucket, whenoperated to the right of Figs. 1, 2 and 3, will beclear from the abovedescription.

In Figs. (Sand .7 of the drawings I show another form of engine forcontrolling the drums for operating the lines 19 and 23. In 7 this formofengine are shown two drums 76, 77, corresponding, respectively, to thedrums 22, 26, heretofore described. These drums are mounted,respectively, on shafts.

78, 79, journaled in a suitable bed-plate or frame, and said drums arealso provided with gears 80, 81, having any suitable form of drivingconnection with the drums. Running parallel to the axis of rotation ofthe drums are twodriving shafts 82, 83, arranged in longitudinalalinement, and each provided with a pinion 84,- the pinion on each shaftmeshing with the adjacent gear a Each of said :shafts 82, 83, is alsoprovided with a gear or 81 on the said drums.

85, said gears 85 meshing with driving pinions 86, 86, mounted,respectively,,on the armature shafts 87, 87, of. reversible electricmotors 88, 88. By this arrangement it will be seen that each drum may bedriven independently of the other, and in either direction, by its ownindependent motor.

Mounted on the end'of one of the shafts 87 is an internally toothedclutch member on the end of the other shaft 87, whereby said shafts maybe connected to drive both 89 adapted to be engaged by a peripherallyztoothed clutch member 90 slidably mounted drums 76, 77, at the'samespeed of revolution. The clutch member 90 is shiftab'le into andout of engagement with the clutch member 89 by-means of a yoke 91carried by a rockvshaft 92 having suitable bearings on the main frameand carrying a lever or "arm. 93 which, in turn, is connected to-thecore of a solenoid 94. This shaft 92 also carries a lever 94' operatingaswitch 95, whlch serves a purpose to be presently described.

Said armature shafts are provided, respectively, with brake disks 96which are en-- gaged by the membersv 97 of suitable. machine brakeswhich areapplied by means of a solenoid 98, it being understood thatthere is an independent so noid for operating,

eachbrake. The bra e members are con-' .nected tothe cores of thesolenoids 98 by leti" vers 99 and links 100, so that, when the'solenoids are energized, the brakes will be released. The core of eachsolenoid is provided with a weight 101 whereby the brakes are appliedwhen the solenoids are deenergized. Each motor is provided with aninwhich is operated from a hand-grasp 103 on a controller shaftlO l,said controller shaft 104 being geared by suitable gears 105, 106,

tothe rotating part of the controller. If desired, a suitable sleevecoupling 107 may be provided for connecting the gears '106 whereby bothcontrollers may be operated from the same hand-lever 103, when desired,to have both motors run .at the same speed, and in the same direction.

As-heretofore stated, the motors are of the reversibletype and theoperating lever for each controller is movable 'to' threepositionsnamely, two extreme positions in one of which the motor drivesits drum in the opposite direction from that when the lever 7 is in theother position, andsaid lever also has an intermediate position .whichthe current is off. The solenoids 98 are arranged in circuit with thecontroller in such a manner that, when the controlling levers 103 are inthe off 01' intermediate position, the solenoids will be denergized,allowing the weights to apply the brakes to the disks 96,

and thereby hold the motors and the drums.

driven thereby against rotation in either direction. The switch 95,heretofore described,

is arranged in circuit with the brake solenoids 9 8, so that, when theclutch members 89, 90, are connected, said switch will be operated to socontrol the solenoid circuits that both brake solenoids 98 will beenergized to release both brakes when one of the controllers is operatedto drive its motor. By

' the construction and arrangement described both drums may becontrolled from the same controller lever, and one motor, whenever thedrum is interlocked, will be capable of conveying all that two motors ofapproximately the same size would be efiective to hoist.

When the electric motors are provided for operating the rope leads, Iprovide a sepathe hue 59, said drum being provided with a rate drum 108for controlling and operating brake flange 109 with which cooperates abrake-band 110 operable by a brake shaft 111 and foot-lever 112. Thebrake is adapted to be applied to the drum 108 .to hold the same underall the conditions necessary for holding said line 59, as heretoforedescribed in detail with reference to the drum 635and it is, therefore,not deemed necessary to repeat in detail that description here at thispoint. It will be understood that, when using the electric motorcontrol, when 7 the clutch members 89, 90, are disconnected,

said 4 .76, 78, respectively, controlling the holding line and thehoisting lines 19 and-23, may be driven independently of each other atdifferent speeds and in difl'erent di-' rections, or in'idifl'erentdirections at the same speed, or in, thesame directiomat the same ordifierent speeds, and that, when the .ing line same direction, one ropewill be paid out and the other taken in, It will be understood that thebrake solenoids are so controlled as to release the brakes whenever themotors areenergized and to apply the same when the motors are at rest.As the circuits for the motors "form no part of my present invention,and can be supplied by. any one skilled in the art, I do not deem itnecessary to either illustrate or. describe the same in detail. also donot consider it necessary ,to repeat the operation of the cableway andbucket heretofore described with reference to .the form of motor shownin Fig. 4, as it will be readily understood in what manner saidoperation may be efi'ected by use of the motor control.

The engine shown in Figs. 6 and 7, is not my sole invention and is notclaimed herein, but is 'th "joint invention of myself and Louis G.uggles, and is the subject matter of an application filed by us jointlyunder date of July 3, 1915, Serial Number.37,894', the same being adivision'of an earlier application filed jointly by the said Louis G.Ruggles and me under date of June 3, 1913, Serial Number 771,399;

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United Statesis 1. In a load-transferring means, a trackway, a carriage thereon, anopening and closin closing line for the bucket extending lengthwise ofthe trackway in opposite direction to the holding line,

operating said lines, separate motors for .driving said drums, and meansforconnecting said drums whereby both are driven from the same motor.

2. In a load-transferring means, a trackway, a carriage thereon, anopening and closing bucket, a holding line for the bucket extendinglengthwise of said trackway, a closfor the bucket extending lengthwiseof the trackwayin opposite direction to .the holding line, independentdrums for operating said lines, separate motors for driving said drumswhereby said drums may be operated independently and at difl'erentspeeds, and means whereby both drums may be driven at equal speed fromthe same motor.

'3. In a load-transferring means, a trackway, a carriage thereon, anopening and closing bucket, a holding line for the bucket extendingjlengthwise of said trackway, a

closing line for the bucketextending. lengthbu'cket, a holding line forthe bucket .exten ing lengthwise of said trackway, a

independent drums for wise of the trackway in opposite direction to theholding line, independent drums for operating'said lines, a holdin line-for the carriage extending in opposite directions 5 lengthwise of thecableway, a holding drum upon which .the said carriage-holding line iswound, and connections between one of said first-named drums anditheholding drum whereby they may run together simultaneously, and the saidcarriage-holding line drum may be held stationary during the running ofsaid first-named drum.

4. In a load-transferring means, a track-" way, a carriage thereon, anopening and closin bucket, a holding line for the bucket exten mglengthwise of said trackway, a closing line for the bucket extendinglength wise of the trackway in opposite direction to the holding line,independent drums for connected to the carriage and extending lengthwiseof the cableway in opposite directions, a drum upon which saidcarriageholding line .is wound, means for coupling said carriage-holdingline drum and one of said first-named drums whereby they are operablesimultaneously, and means whereby the carriagerholding line drum may beheld stationary during the rotation of the other drum. Y r

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

.THOMAS SPENCER MILLER.

Witnesses ERNESTPUfiSFdRi), WILLIS A. DIBBLE, Jr.

